by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Feb 20, 2018
There is much to be learned not only from the text of the parshiot (Torah portions) but even from their order of appearance. The last five parshiot of Shemot are Terumah, Tetzaveh, Ki Tisa, Vayak’hel and Pekudai.
Terumah and Tetzaveh deal with the Mishkan and its implements, while parashat Ki Tisa interrupts the sequence and tells of the sinful and disastrous episode of the Aigel Hazahav (the Golden Calf).
The final two parshiot, Vayak’hel and Pekudai, return to the subject of the Mishkan and its implements.
Mishkan, Mishkan, tragic episode of idolatry, and again Mishkan, Mishkan – what does it mean?
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Feb 13, 2018
HaShem seeks to complete His creation by joining the absolute material world of Am Yisrael with the absolute spiritual world of the Creator – each one providing one half of the equation.
HaShem began the world, but He requires the Jewish people to make its completion through the mitzvot.
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Feb 5, 2018
Among the many halachic issues in the parasha, there are the four categories of shomrim (guardians or watchmen) who do not return the items under their care and are required to swear before a rabbinic court, while holding a Torah scroll, that they were not guilty of negligence.
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Jan 31, 2018
Yalkut Shimoni explains that the “stone”, “straw” and “lead” describes the death in the sea of three types of Egyptians: the most wicked, those in between, and the mildly wicked. The most wicked died a slow death, like “straw” on the water’s surface, which does not sink quickly. The “stone” alludes to those in between, who drowned after a bit of suffering. The “lead” refers to the mildly wicked, who died quickly, just as lead sinks quickly in water.
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Jan 23, 2018
There is a defect in our personalities, like a scratch on a record that keeps repeating itself with every turn of history. The fantastic tenacity of the refugees on the Exodus and other ships to reach these hallowed shores was, in no small part, the reaction of the prohibition of coming here. Had the British opened the gates to the Holy Land, I would venture to say that many would not have come.
by Rabbi Nachman Kahana | Jan 16, 2018
Moses answered, “We will go with our young and our old, with our sons and our daughters, and with our flocks and herds, because we are to celebrate a festival to HaShem.”
Jews have traditionally identified or defined themselves in accordance with the historical, political and religious realities of the time.
The twelve sons of one father, Yaakov, should have coalesced into one unified nation of Am Yisrael; however, because they were born to four different mothers, Rachel, Leah, Bilha and Zilpa, the twelve maintained tribal identities that continued for generations.
